The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!
Monday, Jan. 24
- Ice Skating — 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Reston Town Center — Students have the day off amid a professional development day for staff, but the ice skating pavilion will be open. Admission starts at $9 for seniors, military members and kids ages 12 and under.
Tuesday, Jan. 25
- Hooray for Horses — 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum — Learn about horses, from breeds of work horses to grooming, and get a home activity bag. Cost is $5.
Wednesday, Jan. 26
- Senior Movie Day — 10 a.m. at Bow Tie Cinemas at Reston Town Center — This special showing to audiences ages 55 and up presents the World War II film “Midway.” Doors open at 9:15 a.m. No registration required. Free.
Thursday, Jan. 27
- An Evening with Branford Marsalis — 8 p.m. at The Barns — The Branford Marsalis Quarter, led by a saxophonist from the Marsalis jazz family, performs at Wolf Trap. Tickets start at $68, and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Friday. Jan. 28
- ’90s Rock Cover Band — 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Crafthouse in Reston — Enjoy some craft beer and travel back in time with cover band Waking Napster.
Saturday, Jan. 29
- Reston Summer Camp Expo — 9 a.m. to noon at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods — Learn about Reston-area camps, win door prizes and enjoy hands-on games and crafts. Free.
- Celebrate Lunar New Year with a Lion Dance Performance — Noon to 12:30 p.m. at Herndon Fortnightly Library — The Jow Ga Shaolin Institute, a traditional Chinese martial arts in Herndon, performs this tradition to bring good fortune in the new year.
Sunday, Jan. 30
- Dino and Dragon Stroll — 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Dulles Expo Center — The final day of a weekend event featuring colossal animated dinosaurs and dragons. Cost is $21.99.
The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!
Monday, Dec. 13
- Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights — 5:30-10 p.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens — Enjoy lights and holiday scenes in this annual transformation, which will stick around through Jan. 2. Tickets start at $18.
Tuesday, Dec. 16
- Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones — 7:15 p.m. at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe-Herndon — A married couple from Galax, Virginia participate in their first performance with The Folk Club. Tickets start at $10.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
- Senior Movie Day — 9:15 a.m. to noon at Reston Town Center’s Bow Tie Cinemas — Watch Tom Hanks portray children’s show icon Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Registration is not required. Free.
Thursday, Dec. 16
- American Mah Jongg — 9:30 a.m. to noon at RCC Hunters Woods — A drop-in program for players of all skill levels invites adults to participate. Free.
Friday, Dec. 17
- “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” — 8 p.m. at NextStop Theatre Co. with recurring performances throughout December — A three-member cast brings together this satirical and irreverent holiday production featuring traditional carols to pop-cultural references and of course, Christmas icons ranging from Santa to the Grinch. Tickets start at $25.
Saturday, Dec. 18
- Snow Much Fun — Fountain Square at Reston Town Center — Enjoy festive performances throughout the day from community groups, featuring the Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Northern Virginia Ukulele Society from 12:30-1:15 p.m. and caroling from from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 19
- Equity Matters: Moving Forward to Equal Justice – “Crescendo” — 3 p.m. at CenterStage — Follow the extraordinary tale on screen about an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra and its overtures for peace in the Mideast. Registration is required. Free.
The 10th Washington West Film Festival is back in-person after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will feature 31 films being shown from Thursday through Monday and expand its locations to include Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center, ShowPlace Icon in The Boro Tysons, Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner and CenterStage at the Reston Community Center.
The festival kicks off Thursday night with a single 7 p.m. showing of Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” at ShowPlace Icon in the Boro Tysons.
Friday’s films will begin with two blocks of short films at Bow Tie Cinemas. The first block will feature six short films focused on family bonds and the second block will consist of seven shorts documenting the journeys of characters intentionally seeking something.
The remainder of Friday’s films will begin with a double feature block entitled “Making Your Mark,” with documentaries “Love Reaches Everywhere” and “The Shoulders of Giants.” A second double feature will follow about individuals pushing their physical and emotional boundaries with a showing of “Against the Current” and “Last Know Coordinates.”
Capping Friday’s films will be the narrative film “I’M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING)” with the short film “Are You Okay?” preceding it.
Saturday will mark the official closing night of the festival. It will begin with a 75th anniversary screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and will be followed by “Five Years North” and “A Crime on the Bayou.” The evening will be capped by the Washington, D.C., premiere of the documentary “Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times” and will be preceded by the short film “Alone Together.”
While the festival will close Saturday, Sunday and Monday will also feature a handful of other films.
The ShowPlace Icon will host three blocks of films on Sunday. The blocks will begin with a student showcase of films from George Mason University’s FAVS (Film and Video Studies) student festival. The day will finish off with a reshowing of Friday’s film blocks about family bonds and followed by the documented journeys of characters intentionally seeking something.
The final film on Monday will be “The Blackest Battle,” written D.C. theatre artist Psalmayene 24.
Tickets are still available for purchase on the festival website.
All proceeds of the event will be donated to four charities: Evans Home for Children in Winchester, Baltimore non-profit Blueprint, foster program Virginia Kids Belong, and The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.
The full lineup of film blocks with their times and locations is below:
Thursday, Oct. 21
- 7 p.m. – “The French Dispatch,” at ShowPlace Icon in The Boro Tysons
Friday, Oct. 22
- 5:30 p.m. – “Shorts Program One: Family Bonds,” at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center
- 6 p.m. – “Shorts Program Two: Seek and You Will Find,” at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center
- 7 p.m. – “Making Your Mark,” at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center
- 8 p.m. – “Beyond the Limits,” at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center
- 9 p.m. – Short film “Are You Okay?” precedes “I’M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING),” at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center
Saturday, Oct. 23
- 10:30 a.m. – “It’s A Wonderful Life,” at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner
- 1:30 p.m. – “Five Years North,” at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner
- 4:30 p.m. – “A Crime on the Bayou,” at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner
- 7:30 p.m. – Short film “Alone Together” precedes “Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times,” Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner
Sunday, Oct. 24
- 1 p.m. – Showcase of “best of” films from George Mason University’s FAVS (Film and Video Studies) student festival, at ShowPlace Icon in The Boro Tysons
- 1:30 p.m. – “Shorts Program One: Family Bonds,” at ShowPlace Icon in The Boro Tysons
- 4 p.m. – “Shorts Program Two: Seek and You Will Find,” at ShowPlace Icon in The Boro Tysons
Monday, Oct. 25
- 7:30 p.m. – “The Blackest Battle,” at CenterStage in Reston Community Center
Senior Movie Day Returns — Reston Association’s senior movie day returns to Bow Tie Cinema in Reston Town Center today. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. and the movie — Queen Bees — begins at 10 a.m. The event began in 1994 and was paused roughly 18 months ago due to the pandemic. [Reston Today]
Police Chief Issues Alert After Overdoses — The Fairfax County Police Department’s police chief alerted the community yesterday after six people overdosed in one morning in Falls Church. All six adults ranged from 23 to 35 years of age. [Fairfax County Police Department]
County Community Transmission Still High — COVID-19 transmission in the county is still high, although more than 62 percent of the county’s population is fully vaccinated. The county’s health department offered an update to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week. [Fairfax County Government]
An Update on Early Voting — So far, more than 2,600 people have voted in person so far during the first three days of early voting. Three voting sites are open during weekdays in the county. [Fairfax County Government]
Two Hour ‘Virtual’ Delay for Fairfax County Public Schools — Teacher-led instruction for middle and elementary school levels will be delayed two hours today to allow teachers to activate Blackboard security upgrades. High school office hours will begin no earlier than 10 a.m. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Reston Company Selected as Top Entry Level Employer — Carahsoft Technology Corp made it to CollegeGrad.com’s annual list of top entry-level employers. The company is expected to onboard 700 new employees and 174 interns this year, a 27 percent increase from last year. [GlobeNewswire]
Marriage Licenses Go Virtual — The county launched a new virtual marriage license appointment program today for couples to receive a marriage license from the Fairfax County Court Clerk’s Office. The county’s clerk notes he has seen an increase in the number of couples applying for marriage licenses since the pandemic hit locally. [Fairfax County Government]
Virtual Q&A by Bow Tie Cinemas — The theatre is hosting a virtual session with the directors and selected cast members of Extra Ordinary. The event begins at 6 p.m. [Bow Tie Cinemas via Facebook]
Reston Community Players Scholarship Kicks Off — Applications for annual scholarships for high school. Applications are due by May 1. Interviews, which will take place between May 16-17, will be held virtually.
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
A charity film festival is coming to Reston next week.
The Washington West Film Festival will take place from Thursday to next Tuesday (Oct. 24-28) at various venues around Reston, offering patrons a chance to watch the works of upcoming filmmakers on the big screen and contribute to a charitable cause.
The festival will kick off with a “Star Wars Red Carpet” event at Bow Tie Cinemas (11940 Market Street) at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24. Tickets are free and admission is open to the public.
Since this event celebrates Anthony Daniels, attendees are encouraged to dress in costume as C-3PO — the humanoid robot Daniels’ played. There will be a prize for the attendee dressed in the most gold.
The charity festival was founded in 2011 by Brad Russell, according to the festival website. The festival gives all of its profits to charities, which differ from year to year. This year’s charity recipients are not listed on the website yet.
This year’s festival will feature around 30 films, ranging in genre and length. A schedule of showings and tickets can be found online.
Photo via Washington West Film Festival
Herndon-based Company Acquires Silicon Valley Company — iDirect Government, a Herndon-based unit of Singapore’s ST Engineering paid $20 million in cash to acquire Glowlink Communications Technology. [iDirect Government]
Reston Semi-Annual Book Sale Kicks Off Today — The book sale is open for Reston Friends today from 5-8 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. It will open up to the public for the rest of the week. [Reston Regional Library]
Last Week to Vote in Preference Poll — The deadline to vote in Reston Community Center’s annual preference poll for online and in-person ballots is on Friday, Sept. 27. Mailed ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. [Reston Community Center]
‘Meet Me at the Movies’ for Seniors — Reston Association and Reston Town Center Bow Tie Cinemas presents the 25th anniversary of the movies series. This month, seniors can watch “The Best of Enemies” at 9:15 a.m. at the cinema. [Reston Town Center]
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
Birthday bash for Mark Twain — Reston Regional Library will celebrate from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the famous American humorist, who died in 1910 and would have been 183 years old on Nov. 30. [Fairfax County]
Senior movie day — The Reston Association’s “Meet Me at the Movies” will screen “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” — the 2018Â documentary about Fred Rogers —Â at 10 a.m. with free refreshments. Tickets are free for people age 55 and older. The monthly movie event is done in cooperation with the Bow-Tie Cinemas at Reston Town Center and is sponsored by Tall Oaks Assisted Living. [Reston Association]
Paid parking lawsuit ends in a settlement — Boston Properties agreed to a settlement with Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge, bringing a close to the restaurant’s lawsuit over the mixed-use development’s paid parking system. [Faifax County Times]
Reston Rotary Club networking — The club will host a networking event tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Reston Hyatt’s bar in the lobby. [Reston Rotary Club]
Flickr pool photo via Chris GordonÂ
The ninth annual Washington West Film Festival kicks off today in Reston and other locations with a movie screening at Bowie Tie Cinemas.
The festival, which showcases new films from around the world and the filmmakers and actors behind them, will begin opening night with a screening of My Indiana Muse, a story about an artist who starts an inspirational project that will take more than a decade to complete. Tickets can be purchased online for $35.
A reception will follow the 7 p.m. screening and light appetizers and drinks will be available. The movie’s director Jennifer Serena and cast members Robert Townshend and Cheryl Berea will take part in a question and answer session following the screening.
The complete schedule of movie screenings and events is available online.
Prior to today’s screening at 4:30 p.m., the Kendra Scott store in Reston Town Center will offer drinks and refreshments.
All net box office proceeds help address issues like hunger, illness and limited organization, according to the festival’s website.
Photo via Washington West Film Festival
Hairspray lives up to the hype — A theater critic writes that Reston Community Players’ latest production, Hairspray, lives up to the volunteer-based community theater’s reputation of presenting professional-quality theater. [DC Metro Theater Arts]
Halloween 101 — With the spooks just around the corner, the county offers several safety tips for trick-or-treating on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Kids are advised to generally visit houses with their porch lights on or with active Halloween decorations, for example. [Fairfax County Government]
Lake House open house — As efforts to increase revenue from The Lake House continue, Reston Association is continuing its tradition of holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Reston Association]
Meet me at the movies — Seniors can enjoy a free screening of Ocean’s 8 today from 9:15 a.m. to noon. Light refreshments will be provided. [Reston Association]
A tale of prison and privilege — This free screening set for tonight highlights the economic and social inequities that divide the country and offers solutions on how separated communities can learn from each other. The screening will be followed by a discussion by Signe Taylor and several formerly incarcerated women who appear in the film. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo of stream cleanup recyclables by vantagehill
The eighth annual Washington West Film Festival returns to Reston and other nearby locations this Thursday through Monday. This year’s theme is “Story Can Change the World.”
The festival showcases new films from around the world and aims to bring filmmakers and actors together for conversation in Reston. All net box office proceeds will go to Kids in the Spotlight and the Robert Duvall Children’s Fund.
Opening night on Thursday kicks off with a 7 p.m. screening of My Indiana Muse, a story about an artist who tackles a project that will take more than a decade to complete. The screening at Bow Tie Cinemas (11940 Market Street) will be followed by a reception with light appetizers and drinks.
The festival was founded in 2011 by Brad Russell, who sought to bring films to the area that focus on creating inspiring stories, not just watching them.
To view the full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the film festival’s website. Other screenings are planned in Arlington, Sterling and Stone Ridge.
Photo via Washington West Film Festival
Corridor Four, a documentary that follows the story of a 9/11 first responder, will premiere at Bow Tie Cinemas (11940 Market St.) at 7 p.m. as part of the Washington West Film Festival.
A reception, which will include light appetizers and drinks, will follow the screening. The filmmakers and the subject of the documentary will also participate in a question and answer session.
The festival, which began on Wednesday and runs through Saturday, showcases films from around the world.
The complete schedule of screenings, discussions with filmmakers and other events in the area is online. All net box office proceeds help address issues like hunger, illness and limited organization, according to the festival’s website.
Filmmakers and subject will participate in a Q&A following the Thursday night screening. 7 p.m.
The seventh annual Washington West Film Festival returns to Reston and other locations this Wednesday through Saturday with the theme “A Story Can Change the World.”Â
The festival showcases new films from around the world and brings filmmakers and actors for conversation to Reston. All net box office proceeds help address issues like hunger, illness and limited organization, according to the festival’s website.
On Wednesday at 5 p.m., there will be a free screening of Deep — Mare Nostrum at Refraction (11911 Freedom Drive). The movie is a narrative about a woman who trains to dive in the hopes of avenging her brother’s honor, who died in a diving championship.
The premiere for Corridor Four, a movie that paints a portrait about a 9/11 first-responder, will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bow Tie Cinemas (11940 Market St.). A reception and question and answer session with the filmmakers will follow the screening.
Friday’s schedule is packed with a happy hour with festival guests at Bow Tie Cinemas at 4:30 p.m. Highlights include:
- Short Film Screenings — Darkness and Light (Bow Tie Cinemas, 5 p.m.) A collection of five short films will begin screening the theater. The films center around the concept of light finding a way to shine through darkness.Â
- Short Film Screenings — Leading Ladies (Bow Tie Cinemas, 6 p.m.): A second collection of six short films about leading ladies will begin, followed by a question and answer session with filmmakers.
- Clive Davis — The Soundtrack of Our Lives (Bow Tie Cinemas, 7 p.m.): This profile examines the life of Clive Davis, a legendary music man, and explores the cultural revolution of music from the 60s to the rise of hip hop.
- Family Shorts Showcase (Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, 7:30 p.m.): A free, family-friend screening of fun short films.
- What Haunts Us (Bow Tie Cinemas, 8 p.m.):Â This story follows six men from the same year in high school who committed suicide.
Screenings on Saturday run from noon through 9:30 p.m. Highlights include:
- American Veteran (Bow Tie Cinemas, noon): This documentary explores challenges faced by veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who survived because of advanced medical technology that did not exist in previous wars
- Free Concert: (Reston Town Center Pavilion, 5 p.m.): The event features composer and guitarist W.G. Snuffy Walden and vocalist Sara Niemietz.
- Modern Family (Bow Tie Cinemas, 7 p.m.): Guests can watch a free, advanced screening of a new episode of the show as it begins its ninth season.
- King of Peking (Bow Tie Cinemas, 9 p.m.): This international narrative explores the story of a former projectionists who encourages his young sown to start a pirate movie company.
To view the full schedule, including other events in Arlington, and to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s website.
Photo: Washington West Film Festival
